Desiccating-closet



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. WILLS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DESICCATING-CLOSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,764, dated March 1, 1892.

Application filed October 25, 1890. Serial No. 369,319. (No model.)

consists, primarily, in providing means by.

which steam can be used in connection with the closets and also in means for conveying the air and odors from the closets into the furnace of a steam-boiler, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Figure l is a sectional elevation of a boilerhouse and closet embodying my invention,

and Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are transverse vertical sections of the closet, showing modifications of the manner of applying the steam, with certain other details.

The object of my present invention is to provide closets for factories or buildings of any kind in which steam is used, so arranged that the desiccation of the deposits in the vaults can be effected by the utilization of the exhaust or waste steam or by live steam, when desired, and also pass the air and odors from the vaults into the iire under the boiler or boilers for the twofold purpose of neutralizing or destroying the odors and also to destroy any germs that may exist or be lgenerated in or about the vaults of the closets.

Asis well known, factories where a large number of operatives is employed require large closet facilities, and that the closets in and about such establishments are frequently in a very unsanitary condition and productive of the generation and spread of serious illness among the operatives, as well as in the region around. Again, as the usual custom isto depend on water (where a water service exists) for the removal of the deposits the streams into which such deposits are conveyed are thereby rendered foul and' are thus themselves made a vehicle for the spread of disease. Not unfrequently factories areelocated where there is no water service or no `stream of suflicient capacity to convey away the deposits, in which case the danger is rendered still greater. It is to remedy or prevent these and similar evils or dangers that my present invention is designed, and which I will now proceed to explain,

Referring to accompanying drawings, I-I represents a boiler-house having one or more steam-boilers B located therein and connected to a smoke-stack T in the usual manner. Adjoining this boiler-house I erect the closets,

Figs. l and 2, showing two sets of closets C f and C arranged back to back over a common vault V, through which a current of air is to be passed, the same as in the well-known Smead dry closets. The air for the vault may be taken from the boiler-house through a doorway d (indicated by dotted linesin Figs. l and 2) -into what may be termed the airgathering room G, which, as shown in Fig. 2, connects directly with one end of the Vault V. It is preferred to locate the door d near the top, so as to take the warmest air from the boiler-room and thus keep the latter more cool and pleasant, especially in hot weather, though this is not essential to the operation of the closets, I also provide another opening O in the outer wall, as shown in Fig. 2, through which the air may be taken from the outside, when desired for any reason, this opening like the other being providedwith a door or doors f, so that it can be closed when the air is to be drawn from the boiler-room7 it being optional to take the air from either source. The opposite end of the closet-vault I connect by a duct D with the ash-pit of the furnace under the boiler B, as shown in Figs. l and 2,

the result being that a strong current of air is constantly drawn through the vault into the ash-pit under the furnace-grate, and as all odors which may arise from the deposits in the vault and the germs which may exist, if any, will be carried along with the air into and through the lire on the` grate it will'be seenthat all odors and germs will be entirely destroyed or neutralized. Y The air thus drawn through the vault is designed to furnish all the air needed for combustion in the furnace, though where there are several boilers and furnaces it is obvious that some air may be admitted at the furnace or ash-pit doors, which will otherwise be kept closed in order IOO to insure a continuous and strong draft of air through the vault. I

In order to prevent a cessation of the draft through the vault when the f u rnace-doors are opened for replenishing the fuel or when the ash-pit doors are opened for the removal of ashes or any other purpose, I connect the vault directly with the smoke-stack in such a manner as to convey the air passing through the vault directly into the smoke-stack or into any other flue or stack which will keep up the flow ot' air through the vault. done in various Ways, and to illustrate this idea I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a pipe I, leading from the duct D, which connects the vault with the furnace direct to the smokestack, this pipe ,being provided with a valve or damper c, which.the engineer or fireman willgopenbefore opening the furnace or ashpit doors, and whichzwill. be. closed againy as soon as the furnace-doors are1 closed,.so..as to insure the passage ot `the air from thevault intothe furnace. The. advantages. of this method otdisposing of the airdrawnthrough: the vault. ofthe closet. as` a sanitary .measure are that` it destroys. the offensive. odors which are. sometimes objectionable, in .the im mediate vicinityif allowed topass directly out to the atmosphere. through a. vent-stack, more especially when the deposits in. the vault are burned therein, as is nowA the custom in this style ,of closets, and, which .is still ymore offen-` sive it the `depositsare in a more or less green. or` undriedcondtiou, as is sometimesthe case destccating process, I arrange Wit-hin the vault of thecloset means for, heatingit by steam.

This, may bedone. in various Ways, one ofthe simplestmethods. being that shown-.in Fig. l and on a larger scale in Fig. 3, and which consists in embedding in the .cement bottom.

af of the vault a series of pipes b through which the, enhauststcam.l from theengine is.

passed, .thereby heating the -bed.` or bottom of thevault. These pipes may be. arranged in thelform of an ordinary coil or in any ofthe known formsof a manifold, as` is; customary in steam heatingor .condensing apparatus,.

they being connected in any convenient mann-er with the escape-pipe of theengne attheir inletendandwithasewerorwithatankat their opposite end. forr the` reception of the Water of condensation in .case,.it be desired to re-.use the` water, or thesteam, in case, it is not all condensed, may be allowed. toiescape outside.

In; Figf..4 I have shown the.v bottom of the vault as composed of a, metalpan R, ymade concave on top to receive and' retain the deposits and Huid, this pan being provided with a chamberunderneath into which the steam istconveyedsoas tot keep it lled with steam, thereby keeping yit hot and causing it to` rap This may be.

idly evaporate the liuids and dry or desiccate the deposits. l

In Fig. 5 I have shown a concave metal receiver a', supported at its sides by the Walls of the vault, with a series or coil of steampipes arranged under it, which will operate in the same manner.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the vault as being provided with thetransverse partition J, now generally used in the Smead dry closets.

Within the vault I arrange a pan P, preferably made of copper, in such a position as to receive the urine and retain it separate from the fecal deposits, which fall upon the transverse partition J, this pan having a coil of steam-pipe b' arranged therein, as shown, to hasten the evaporation of its `liquid contents.. This pan may rest upon the partition J atv ork near its front side, as shown,.or.itamay be elevated to any height desiredI within the vault,.the only requisite. being thatfit. be so located. as to catch the urine as it falls.. arrange a steam-coil or series of steam-pipes bunder the partition .J,. as shown, `for `the purpose of hasteningthe.. drying of thetdeposits thereon, andin case Vinbedesired. or necessary to heat theair passing through the vault, as. it. may be when the air is taken from outside of thev building, Iarrauge another series of steam-pipes b2. on opposite sides ofthe vault, as shown. With this plan or method otheating the vault. by steam the. desiccation may be so rapid andtherough as to avoid the.

necessity ot' passingthe. air from thevaultf` into the furnace,. inwhich case it may be.

passed into an ordinarylvent-stack, the, same as in the Well-known Smead` closets, such, vent-stack bein g indicated by dottedlines at.

closets as. being outside of or separatev from the factory-building, it isfobvioius. thatwhere the boilers are located-,Withinthe..factory building the closets, may alsobe built therein or adjoining the samepas@ may be` preferred or most convenient; So, too,.Wl1i1e I have spoken of the use of .the waste or exhaust steam in the vau-lt it is: obvious that live steam direct from the-boiler may heused instead, and in soma cases where the exhauststeam is used for other purposes live; steam will necessarily be used, A separate boiler may be used to supplysteam, for the vaults and thus have a small steam-plant for .the closets separate and apart from thegeneral steam-plant of 4,the factory; lbutzsuch arrang. ment will not bedesirablepexcept in cases where all the steam fromthe general, plant iis requiredt'or other purposes or in connection with establishments whichusehydranlic,elecl tric, or other than steam power..

In the erection offnew factories. where-it is vision willof course be mada for them butl I also.

IOO

IIO

IIS

Where it is desired to@ apply this system of closets to existing structures their location and arrangement must of course depend upon the varying conditions of the different buildings; but the principle and mode of operation are so clearly illustrated and described herein that any engineer or person skilled in such matters can readily apply them in connection with any building. I have already applied them to factories with most gratifying results.

I do not claim as of my invention a desiccat-ing-closet, broadly, as I am aware that the same has been patented to I. D. Smead; neither do I claim, broadly, the idea of. destroying the odors, &c., by passing the air used to desiccate the deposits through a fire, as I am aware that said Smead has invented a crelnatory-closet in which that is done.

Iam also aware that a patent has been granted for a dry closet having an opening at one end only of the vault and in which a pipe, with laterally-projecting bars, is located directly under the seat-openings and near the top of the vault for retaining the solids and permitting the luids to separate therefrom and drop to the bottom of the vault, and I make no claim to such a device or arrangement; but,

Having thus fully described my invention, what'I claim isl. In combination with a steam boiler and furnace, a desiccating-closet provided with a vault or duct open at one end for the admission of a current of air and having the opposite end of said vault or duct connected with the ash-pit of the boiler-furnace, substantially as and for the'purpose set forth.

2. In combination with a boiler and furnace, a desiccating-closet having its air duct or vault connected with the ash-pit of the boilerfurnace and a pipe or duct provided with a damper or valve, said pipe or duct having one end connected with the air-passage at a point between the closet and the ash-pit of the furnace and its opposite end connected with the smoke-stack or similar vent-flue to prevent a cessation of the draft through the closet vault or duct when the furnace or ash-pit doors are opened, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. VVILLS.

Witnesses:

E. A. M. LETANG, M. A. MURPHY. 

